“Even I do not know who the captain shall be,” Naqvi mentioned. “Whether or not Shaheen continues or a brand new captain is available in shall be decided after the health camp [starting on Monday]. There are a variety of technical elements we are going to think about, the small print of which I don’t need to go into. We wish a long-term answer, whether or not it is Shaheen or a brand new man. After which we intend to stay by that man, as a substitute of simply altering a captain simply since you lose a match or captain.”
It had resulted in mounting hypothesis round Afridi’s future, which is inevitably set to accentuate following Naqvi’s feedback. The PCB will identify 27 gamers who shall be despatched to coach with the Pakistani army in Kakul – the nation’s most well-known army academy – for 10 days. That the PCB has deferred a choice till after that camp concludes does purchase the board additional time to make their minds up.
The emphatic refusal to again Afridi as captain means Pakistan might have a 3rd T20 skipper in 5 months. Babar Azam reluctantly stepped down as captain after the PCB made clear they needed to call a substitute in November, which led to Afridi’s appointment. On the time, Afridi was the new favorite to take over as ODI captain, too, although subsequent occasions have meant these prospects have receded.
Naqvi’s feedback round a long-term answer, and a want to not change captains after one dangerous collection, are prone to rankle Afridi, given he stands at risk of precisely that taking place to him. A part of the attraction of appointing Afridi, nonetheless 23, as captain was he might be taught on the job and proceed within the position for an prolonged time period. Ought to he get replaced after an detached tour of New Zealand and a poor PSL on the cusp of the T20 World Cup, it’s not possible to view it as something aside from an entire lack of religion in his captaincy talents.
“At this level, our requirement is the World Cup,” Naqvi mentioned. “Everybody felt the staff wanted to be robust at this stage. We had a straight speak with Imad, and a one-point agenda – come again and play for Pakistan.”
